Velocipede driving-gear.



Patented Aug l2, H902.

F. A. RICH. VELOCIPEDE DRIVING GEAR.

(Application filed Oct. 81, 1900.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES 7 (Id M MW NITED STATES FRANCIS ARTHUR :RI OI-I, OFKARANGAHAKE, NEW ZEALAND.

\lELOClPEDE DRlVING- -GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,012, dated August12, 1902.

Application filed October 31, 1900. Serial No. 35,022. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS ARTHUR RIcH, mining engineer, a subject ofHer Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain andIreland, and a resident of Karangahake, in the Provincial District ofAuckland and Colony of New Zealand, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Velocipede Driving-Gear, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improvedchangeable gearingfor velocipedes; and to this end the invention consists of certain newand improved driving devices constructed, arranged, and combined withthe parts of a velocipede, as hereinafter specified.

The accompanying drawings show four figures, of which Figure 1 is ageneral plan of'an application of the invention. Fig. 2 indicates thechanging-gear for this application. Fig. 3 shows the clutch-gear and itsrelation to recessplate. Fig. 4 is View of the gearing as applied to abicycle.

Letters of similar name and kind refer to similar parts in each of thefigures.

A is the adj ustment-piece of free sprocketwheel ball-race. It also hasrecesses inits periphery to receive clutch D when changing sprocketwheel G from a free to 'a fixed wheeL-c'. e., in this illustration whenchanging from the low to the high gear.

B is the portion of free sprocket-wheel G fixed to pedal-crank andwhich. also forms part of the ball-race. It is provided with a threadedflange T.

O is the outer part of ball race of free sprocket-wheel G, to whichouter part the external rims of larger or smaller sprockets may beattached by means of screws S, if it is required to renew or change thesprocket in use.

D is the clutch, mounted in guides D D which goes intojany one of therecesses in recess-p'lateA'whenit is desired to drive the shaped end forengaging the triangular slidepiece D. The plunger passes through aguideE fixed upon the wheel. The spring and plunger hold the clutch D eitherin engagement or out of engagement with the recessed wheel, accordinglyas the plunger F presses upon the inclined face F or F Gis the larger orhigh-gear sprocket-wheel,

which is rendered relatively free or fixed, as desired, by means of theclutch D.

H is the smaller or low-gear sprocket-wheel.

J is the rear-hub sprocket-wheel corresponding to the larger pedal-cranksprocketwheel G. In this illustration of my invention thissprocket-Wheel J is shown as fixed; but it is obvious that this wheel Jcould be used as the changing-wheel, in which case the wheel Gcould bemade permanently fixed to the pedal-crank, and it is my object thateither wheel may be used for the changingwheel. In either case theobject of my invention would be gained-win, that any one of the chainsor equivalent connections for operation on the velocipede for thetransmission of its driving power may be used for that purpose at thewill'of the operator, the other being thrown out of use by means of oneof the sprocket-wheels belonging to each being rendered free.

The rear sprocket-wheel K is an ordinary clutch-wheel of the well-knownone-way type and is connected with the lowest gear-wheel 1-1. When theclutchD is in engagement with the recessed wheel A, the rear sprocket Jhas a higher speed than the rear sprocket K, but as the latter is aclutch-wheel it merely overruns the hub.

L is the lower front part of bicycle-frame.

M M are the double cranks.

N is the lower rear part of bicycle-frame.

O is the position or path ofsprocket-chains.

1 is the rear hub. I

Q Q are the spokes of rear wheel.

R is the clutch-pin guide forthrowing clutch D into gear withrecess-plate A. S is the clutch-pin guide for throwing clutchD out ofgear with recess-plate A. These guides are merely flanged edges of therocking plate R.

T is the stud fixed to frame-piece X, upon which clutch-pin guides R andS revolve.

U is the spring for holding clutch-pin guide in position. Shown in Fig.2 as a spiral compression-spring Working against lug V, attached'toframepiece X; and shown in Fig. 4 is a spiral tension-spring attached atone end to the frame-piece N and at the other to the clutch-pin guides.

V is the lug attached to frame-piece X for spring U to Work against.

W is the connecting-wire between changing-lever and rocking platecarrying the clutch-pin guides.

X is the center piece of bicycle-frame.

The operation of the machine shown in the drawings is as follows: Therider working on the lower gear, as shownin Fig. 1say while riding onheavy roads, against strong head wind, or climbing asteep grade-desires,having reached easier conditions of riding, to change into thehighergear and make pace. He merely actuates the wire W by anyappropriate means, and thus shifts the position of the rocking plate B,so that as the rollerpin E revolves about the pedal-crank axle it comesin contact with the guide R and is forced in toward recess-plate A,Whenspring F throws clutch D into one of the recesses in plate A. Thenas periphery of larger sprocketwheel G travels faster than that ofsmaller sprocket-wheel H it is evident that the bicycle is being driventhrough the large sprocket G-'i. e., by the higher gearand the freewheel K,being driven faster than the rear hub upon which it is mounted,freely overruns the same. To change back again to the low gear, shiftthe plate R upward, so that as the rollerpin E revolves around thecrank-shaft axle it comes in contact with the guide S, and the clutch orlug D is thereby lifted out of the recess in plate A and held out byspring F. Now as the sprocket G is not actuated by the pedal-cranks themotive power falls on sprocket H and the bicycle is being driven on thelow gear.

More gears may be fitted to the velocipede in same manner of course,only the one to be used being thrown into gear; but for ordinary use twogears are usually deemed sufficient,'especially if, as in thisinvention, they can be of any useful ratio with regard to each other byusing any desired size of sprocket-wheels.

From the foregoing it is evident that the rider has at his disposal atanytime a low gear for rough or muddy roads, high head winds or hills,and one or more higher gears to take advantage of good roads or fairwinds. Further, in coming downhill the rider has the choice of variousmethods of riding. For instance, he can, while using the higher gear,back-pedal to reduce or check speed, or, if the hill is not too steep,he can throw the clutch D out of gear with recess-plate A and thenhaving a free wheel to each chain let the machine run downhill by theforce of gravity, while his feet rest on the non-revolving pedals, asused with ordinary free-wheel single-gear,'or, if the hill is verysteep, he can use his brake.

With an ordinary fixed-sprocket singlegear chain-machine a foot-brakecannot be used nor can the pedals be prevented from revolving whilerunning downhill. Again, with the ordinary single-gear free-wheelmachine the rider cannot back-pedal, though he can use a foot-brake; butwith this invention the rider has the choice of all these methods ofriding downhill, besides being able to fall back on other safe methodsof coming downhill in case of accident to the one in use at the time.This invention can be admirably adapted to velocipedes for either seX.

While in the drawings I have shown only a bicycle provided with thisinvention, I desire it to be understood that such invention is equallyapplicable and is intended to be applied to tricycles and other forms ofvelocipedes, and, further, that though only two diiferent sets ofdriving-gears are shown more may be used similarly and that they may beeither all on one side of the Veloci pede or arranged on each side ofit, and in either case they may be arranged with lower or higher gearsnext the pedal or pedals, and any design of clutch, pawl, or pin may beused to fix the free wheels.

Having fully described this invention, what I desire to claim and secureby Letters Patent is l. Achangeable-speed gear for velocipedes,comprising an ordinary friction-clutch freewheel sprocket and a sprocketconsisting of inner and outer members normally loose relative to eachother, means for shifting a driven mechanism into operative engagementwith said free-wheel sprocket or with said outer member at will, arocking clutch for connecting together and for disconnecting said innerand outer members, a friction-roller revolubly mounted upon said rockingclutch, and a rocking plate provided with guides for engaging saidroller for the purpose of shifting said clutch.

2. A changeable-speed gear for velocipedes, comprising an ordinarysprocket and a sprocket consisting of outer and inner members normallyloose relatively to each other, traction members engaging said ordinarysprocket and said outer member, and also en'- gaging the mechanism to bedriven, a clutch for connecting together, and disconnecting, said innerand outer members, means for shifting the position of said clutch, and aspring for holding said clutch either in or out of gear.

3. A changeable-speed gear for velocipedes, comprising a sprocket freeto rotate in one directiononly, a sprocket comprising inner and outermembers normally loose relatively to each other, means for shifting thedriven mechanism at will into operative engagement with thefirst-mentioned sprocket or with said outer member, a clutch forconnecting together and disconnecting said inner and outer members, afriction-roller revolubly mounted upon said clutch, and a rocking plateprovided with guides for engaging said roller for the purpose ofshifting said clutch.

4E. Achangeable-speed gear forvelooipedes, comprising a middle sprocketand a sprocket consisting of inner and outer circular members,concentrate and normally loose relatively to each other, means forshifting the driven mechanism into operative engagement with said middlesprocket or With said outer member at Will, a radially-movable clutchfor connecting together and disconnecting said inner and outer members,a friction-roller revolubly mounted upon said clutch, and a rockingplate provided With guides for en gaging said roller for the purpose ofshifting said clutch.

5. A changeable-speed gear for velocipedes, comprising a middle sprocketand a sprocket FRANCIS ARTHUR RICH.

Witnesses:

GEORGE WILLIAM BASLEY, PERCY HERBERT BASLEY.

